The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-12-22
NAPHTHA IN THE SEWERS
Explosions Followed by Fire y
Rochester,.

ROCHESTER, n. Y, Dec 2l.-About $50
o'clock this afternoon a terrific explosion
occurred in front of the Poole -four mill on
Mill street, at the foot of Factory
street. The explosion was felt for a
long distance. Only n few seconds after
the first explosion another followed, and
another, and another in rapid succession.
Instantly flames burst from the Poole
mill and the rear walls fell in. The fire
burned with great fury. and, although the
worklnen FASTENED to get out, it is feared
that some must have persisted in the flames
II was only "a few minutes before the
Washington Mills, adjoining the burning
structure, was also on fire.
CAUSE OF THE EXPLOSION.
The cause of the explosion was that the
sewers in the vicinity were filed with naph-
tina. To-day $4,000 gallons of naphtha were
pumped from the Vacuum Oil Works
through the pipe line In the bed of the old
canal. 1t was intended for the Municipal
Gas Company, but breaks in the line allowed
the naphtha to escape into adjoining sewers
When the sewers became surcharged with
gas it escaped into the mills and exploded
there, and atterward in the sewers in the
streets, throwing out the man-hole covers
and tearing up the roadways.
The amount of the damage cannot be
the finest mills in the city, With their con-
tents, are doomed, and several streets and
sewers are moro or less damaged.
FLIGHT OF THE PEOPLE.
In the vicinity of the fire and up Mill and
State streets, as far as Market street, a dis
tance of about three-quarters of mile,
people We're running in every direction, and
the frequent explosions terrified them more.
The explosions continued at such frequent
intervals for the first half hour that the
people were deferred from getting anywhere
near the fire.
IL is not known how many persons were
at work, or how many escaped.
One man was seen to jump from second
story window of one of the buildings to the
river bank below, n distance of 90 feet. His
right leg was broken, and he received severe
internal injuries.
FALLING WALLS.
The walls of the Jefferson mill fell in
about o'clock, and it is feared there are
several men buried under them.
The engineer of the Clinton Mill, with
two companions, were standing near the
front of the mill when the explosion 90
CURED. They retained sufficient presence
of mind to shut off the steam and get out
of the mill Six persons were at work
in the Clinton Mill, four OF whom escaped
through the water wheel.
THE FIRE UNDER CONTROL.
ROCHESTER, N. Y. Dec. 2l, IL so P. NJ
At the time of the present writing the fire is
under control, but the department will keep
at work at least until morning. The explo
slons ceased about $50 o'clock and no more
danger is apprehended from them. The ex-
plosions covered wide extent of terri
, tory. The manholes over the sewers
on Mill, Platt, State, West, Main, fremont,
Smith, Jay, Furnace, Factory, Brown
and many other streets were
blown off by the force of the explosion. and
a great deal of paving around them was
frequently found torn up. Windows were
shattered in many buildings in the vicinity
and the shock was felt over large area
The tunnel through which the burning
naphtha flowed for several hours is the
largest sewer in the city and is the out
let for the sewers on the west side
How badly damaged this is cannot be esti.
mated. The fire must have been extended
a distance Of several hundred feet in the
sewer. The killed so far as now known
are:
Fred Wilson.
f. A. Webster.
John Lee.
An employe at the Peoples mill has not
been accounted fear, and it is thought that
be is dead in the ruins,